Backflushing vs. Descaling

If you have a three-way brew pressure release valve, you need to backflush and descale the machine regularly as part of its maintenance. Some folks have asked us if they need to do one if they're doing the other -- the short answer is yes...the long answer is in this video.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• espresso machine
• maintenance
• backflush
• descale
• how-to
• tech tip

[timbruinius]

i live in new mexico and our water is almost undrinkable so i use RO water exclusively. i've had a rancilio silvia about 8 months now and haven't descaled it.  how often do you recommend descaling with RO water?

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@timbruinius I'd probably do every 8 - 12 months - Kat

[CabralCEFLE]

Hi! This is really nice info, here!

Thanks for sharing all that knowledge :)

I would suggest you to edit the "How do I descale my home espresso machine" help page on your site, because this important "tip" about letting it rest longer (about 2 hours) if you have never descaled your single boiler machine (as in "more then a year") is not there. When I found out about descaling (15 months of use) I did the 20 min. cycles instead of 2 hours... *shame on me*

Cheers!

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@CabralCEFLE Great idea -- I'll put it on our to-do list. - Kat

[joeldamianicigan]

Would the pod basket Chris' Coffee carries work with the newer heat exchanger / double boiler machines that you carry? If I'm not mistaken, you guys include a bottomless portafilter as part of the purchase???

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@joeldamianicigan We do, but not sure about the pod basket and how well it will work with other machines. Guess you'll need to get it and test it :) - Kat

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@joeldamianicigan We don't carry that pod basket, unlikely we will. The VST baskets are quite expensive so unlikely that they will ever be a free item -- sorry! - Kat

[joeldamianicigan]

Apparently Chris' Coffee service is offering an ESE Pod basket free with purchase of their Cafe' Cremosa pods. It's supposed to work with all E61 groupheads. Was thinking it would be great if you would throw in this and maybe a triple shot basket by VST with purchase of an E61 group machine like the Rocket or Izzo Duetto. ;) ????

[SeattleCoffeeGear]

@joeldamianicigan The majority of the machines come with single and double baskets. For you to effectively use pods on any of the higher end machines, they will have to have an adaptation, you can't just use different baskets. The Vivaldi has this, the Nuova Simonelli have it, but, in general, the higher end machines don't offer this as an option. - Kat

[joeldamianicigan]

What baskets do your machines come with? Have you thought about including an ESE 45mm? pod basket with your Hx and double-boiler machines like the Izzo? I've seen the newest VST basket video and wondering about them...